Ukraine: Record high grain exports in 2014/15 expected

Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine expects record high grain exports in the current marketing year, the head of the Ministry, Igor Schweich announced recently. According to him despite the loss of Crimea and the armed conflict in the east of the country, the country’s grain industry maintains its great potential.

"In 2014/15 the balance of grain on the market in general will be better for exports than the previous season. Last year's exports totalled 33 million tonnes. Current rates of export are by 2.4 million tonnes higher than last year," said Schweich.

Schweich also said that wheat production in 2014 was about 24 million tonnes, which is 1.7% more than in 2013.

"Since the beginning of 2014/2015 our total wheat exports amounted to 5.6 million tonnes, and the current marketing balance is better than last year. One of the main determining factor is the quality of the grain," said Schweich.

Earlier Igor Schweich predicted that the cereal harvest in 2014, taking into account all factors, including the loss of Crimea and the military operations on the territory of Donetsk and Lugansk Oblasts, will amount to 64.421 million tonnes. Thus, this figure will rise by 2% year-on-year.